Free-to-play model will influence all future Ubisoft games, says CFO

The free-to-play model will influence future game created by Ubisoft, the firm’s CFO Alain Martinez said during an investor’s call today.

According to Venture Beat, which was listening to the call, the free-to-play is a “flexible business model” in which players potentially spend more than through more traditional methods.

Free-to-play will also help Ubisoft expand to a wider audience, claimed the firm’s worldwide director of online Stéphanie Perotti, which used The Settlers Online as an example.

“The Settlers Online is set to make more money in four years than the Settlers brand did on PC over nine years,” Perotti said.

When it comes to free-to-play on next-gen consoles, Alain Martinez said: “There will be free-to-play on consoles, but in the future, with games like Sleeping Dogs, we could see more opportunity for $60 games to learn from the free-to-play model.

“The next generation will offer more and more item-based content,” said Martinez. “This will benefit our games’ profitability.”

This means $60 games with micro-transactions could become available in the future from Ubisoft.

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During fiscal 2013, Ubisoft expects to earn between €50 and €60 million from its free-to-play and casual titles, which is up from €20 million in 2012.

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